The present invention relates to an explosive logic resolver network for determining which detonator, in a plurality of detonators, is the first to detonate and start the explosive logic clock of a safe/arming network.
Prior art methods of safe/arming an explosive device consist of using mechanical deVices or exploding bridgewire devices. The mechanical safe/arming devices physically interpose a barrier between the detonator explosive charge and the main charge of the weapon. Mechanical devices have several drawbacks in that environmental degradation over an extended storage period results in an increased failure rate. In addition, as weapon designs become more complex, the requirements placed on mechanical safe/arming devices have resulted in clockwork mechanisms which are large, expensive, complex, and thus more unreliable.
Exploding bridgewire devices have no primary explosive charge in the detonator. The bridgewire device initiates the main charge by providing a tremendous pulse of high voltage current to the bridgewire which causes the bridgewire to explode. This initiates a booster which in turn initiates the main explosive charge. Because the exploding bridgewire detonator does not contain any primary explosive, the detonator may be connected directly to a booster or the main charge without the necessity of a mechanical safing mechanism. The drawback of the exploding bridgewire detonator is that it requires an expensive high voltage power supply to provide the necessary current for exploding the bridgewire. This is not generally suitable for conventional ordnance.
A more suitable method of safe/arming modern weapons systems for high reliability and safety is the use of an explosive logic network interposed between the electronically actuated detonators and a booster charge which in turn detonates the warhead. The explosive logic network, such as that disclosed in copending patent application Ser. No. 317,961, filed Nov. 4, 1981, receives an input from the detonators and performs syntactical or ordered operations to verify that a valid input combination has been received by the detonators.
In conjunction with the above safe/arming explosive logic network, copending U.S application Ser. No. 305,677, filed 9/9/81, discloses an explosive logic clock for examining a first detonation to determine whether the detonation is premature and for opening a time window during which a set of theoretically identical detonators must fire.
The explosive logic resolver network of the present invention is interposed between the detonators and the explosive logic clock and determines which detonator, among a plurality of detonators, is the first to generate a detonation signal.